THERE is nothing in life as impressive as quiet heroism.

Those last two words could have been invented for the brave volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), who perform miracles every day, almost unremarked.

According to official figures released yesterday, the charity's Scottish crews rescued a record number of people last year, all the more remarkable when one considers that thankfully there were no major disasters to contend with in 2014.

The RNLI reports that 1,117 people were rescued in 2014, up from 1,008 in the previous 12 months. The charity, of course, was set up to save lives at sea, and in 2014 there were 51 people of all ages who owe their life to the skills of volunteers - a rise from 29 the year before.

More than 40 per cent of all call-outs in Scotland were to pleasure craft, but the RNLI helps many members of the public in other ways - call-outs include missing pets and people being stranded on a causeway island.

Whenever a lifeboat requires to be launched, the term used is a "shout". The volunteers will not make loud noises about their deeds, but they certainly deserve a hearty cheer from all of us.